Suspect in deadly San Jose crime spree arraigned, enters no plea

SAN JOSE -- The jailed suspect in a robbery spree that killed a Campbell man and ended with the ambush of a police officer and a gunfight appeared in court Wednesday but did not enter a plea.

Jonathan Wilbanks, 26, of San Jose, was in Santa Clara County Superior Court on charges of murder with special circumstances, attempted murder of a peace officer, four counts of second-degree robbery, assault with a firearm on an officer and receiving a stolen vehicle.

Clad in a red jumpsuit and his wrists and ankles shackled, Wilbanks looked down at the floor during the minute-long hearing before he was whisked away by bailiffs back to County Jail, where he is being held without bail. His next court date was set for Dec. 5, when he is expected to enter a plea.

Authorities believe Wilbanks was one of two men who committed a string of armed robberies Friday night that spanned the city and devolved into the killing of 22-year-old Campbell resident Rory Park-Pettiford during a presumed carjacking attempt. The rampage continued with the men shooting and injuring an officer and then a rolling gunbattle before Wilbanks was arrested.

The second suspect eluded capture.

The charges make Wilbanks eligible for the death penalty upon conviction, but deputy district attorney James Leonard said it was too early to know whether that will be pursued. He urged public vigilance in helping authorities find Wilbanks' partner.

According to police, the night of crime started about 7:25 p.m. Friday when two men robbed a Little Caesar's Pizza on Story Road and went on to rob a gas station on East Capitol Expressway, a Jack in the Box on Curtner Avenue and a spa on Bird Avenue. Police believe the men were looking to change getaway cars when they arrived at a 7-Eleven on South Kiely Avenue in West San Jose.

Park-Pettiford and a friend had just emerged from the minimart when they saw at least one of the men, clad in a ski mask and carrying a gun, coming toward them. One of the men fatally shot Park-Pettiford as he tried to start his car, police said.

The two men fled, and soon were spotted by a San Jose officer, who followed them from a distance while awaiting backup. When the duo's car stopped at Tully Road and Lanai Avenue, they got out and opened fire on the trailing officer and his vehicle in what police described as an ambush, with the officer blocked in by traffic with no means of escape.

It was "raining down, round after round" on the officer, Leonard said.

The first backup officer to arrive, five-year veteran Bruce Barthelemy, fired at Wilbanks, hitting him twice, police said. The shootout continued as Barthelemy and the injured officer, a 10-year veteran whose name has not been released, chased the men. At some point Wilbanks' partner jumped out of their car and ran into a neighborhood. Wilbanks kept driving but crashed near Reid-Hillview Airport, then briefly holed up in a random home before police and a SWAT team cornered and arrested him.

The San Jose Police Officers' Association and the mayor's office have put up $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of the second suspect. Anyone who spots the suspect is advised to call 911. Those with information about his whereabouts can contact 408-947-STOP (7867) or San Jose homicide detectives at 408-277-5283.